Land use effects on greenhouse gas production in lower Missouri River floodplain soils

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on September 14, 2012).The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file.Thesis advisor: Dr. Peter P. MotavalliIncludes bibliographical references.M.S. University of Missouri--Columbia 2012."May 2012"Soil-based greenhouse gases (GHG) are produced primarily through plant and microbial processes and are affected by soil properties. The lower Missouri River Floodplain (MRF) region encompasses different land use systems including agriculture, agroforestry and riparian forest. The goal of this study was to investigate the influences of lower MRF land use on the variations of soil GHG emissions. For the laboratory incubation study intact soil surface cores were obtained from sites within the MRF near New Franklin, Missouri and incubated to determine the GHG flux rate. Cores were subjected to multiple soil water regime treatments. Lower MRF land uses and water regime had effects on CO2 and N2O cumulative emissions. Flooded (FLD) CH4 efflux rates were significantly higher than under the OPT and FLX soil moisture regimes. Fertilized agriculture and agroforestry soils emitted the most N2O among the land use and N treatments. The in situ study component was comprised of three spatially intensive samplings through the 2011. Limited significant relationships were found between soil properties and GHG emissions. Interpolations of GHG flux rates allowed for the investigation of GHG spatial variation across each lower MRF land use